White Chicken Chili/White Not-Chicken Chili

Who wants chili? We seem to have another week of less than lovely weather coming up with cold temperatures and possibilities of snow. I think that forecast calls for chili and this week I'm going to try something new with some of the familiar flavors of regular chili with a bit of a different, brothier spin.

This week it's White Chicken Chili made with rich, homemade chicken broth, plump, white, great northern beans, different types of green chiles, herbs and spices, and lots of chicken. This is going to be really good, I just know it!

For the vegetarians, I will make a version of the white chili using a veg "chicken" product and vegetable broth; it shall be equally delicious!

I think that small round loaves of bread made of white, whole wheat, and cornmeal are the perfect accompaniment for $3 each!

Soup is priced as follows:

1 quart/$8   2 quarts/$15   3 quarts/$22     4 quarts/$28

To order, please email me at clp772@gmail.com or cattmkitchen@gmail.com. I will take orders until Wednesday evening, with deliveries/pickups starting Friday and continuing Saturday (if it's available earlier than Friday, I will let customers know!) Delivery is available to City residents and the inner ring suburbs (no further than 170 to the west). 

I can't wait to make this chili!

Ratatouille Stew and Baguettes

This week I am craving the flavors of the south of France so I hope you are too! To satisfy that craving, I'm cooking up my take on the classic French ratatouille. Rather than a baked casserole, I will transfer all those flavors into a thick, savory vegan stew. Traditional ratatouille combines eggplant, zucchini, onions, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes, along with the wonderfully fragrant herbs de Provence; my stew will have all that and more! 

To accompany the ratatouille, I'm baking crusty baguettes this week!

Serving suggestion: To make the ratatouille into a side dish, you could serve it over a bit of brown rice or couscous with a nice piece of roasted or poached fish!

Soup:

1 quart/$8    2 quarts/$15      3 quarts/$21     4 quarts/$28

Bread:

$3/loaf

As usual, I accept cash, check, Paypal or Visa/Mastercard/etc. Delivery available as far as inner ring suburbs (Webster, U City, inside 170), and you can always arrange pick up here in South City. I'm aiming to have the ratatouille done and available for delivery/pickup by Friday afternoon. Email me to order: clp772@gmail.com or cattmkitchen@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Vegetable Soup with Quinoa, Beer Bread with Herbs!

I don't know why I'm so indecisive lately, but I'm finding it harder and harder to make up my mind about which soup to make each week. I just want to pick the perfect one, I guess. At any rate, this week I think the perfect soup is Vegetable with Quinoa, Beefy or Vegetarian.

Vegetable soup is one of my favorite things as I have so many ingredients to choose from depending on what looks good at the market. Suffice it to say both versions will be chock full of vitamin rich vegetables of all colors from red cabbage to yellow squash to green peas. A hint of tomato in the broth will add a nice acidity and the quinoa will make each bowl satisfying and full of protein.

I'm loving the idea of an herb-y beer bread little loaves this week. Remember, it may be warm today, but it's going to be soup weather again in a matter of HOURS! Be prepared!

Soup:

1 quart/$8    2 quarts/$15      3 quarts/$21     4 quarts/$28

Bread:

$2.50/loaf

As usual, I accept cash, check, Paypal or Visa/Mastercard/etc. Delivery available as far as inner ring suburbs (Webster, U City, inside 170), and you can always arrange pick up here in South City. I hope to have soup done by Thursday and will need all deliveries/pick ups made by Friday afternoon/evening please! Email me to order (please specify beef or vegetarian): clp772@gmail.com, cattmkitchen@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato/Split Pea with Ham/Madeleines

This week I will bring back the Black Bean and Sweet Potato  stew I made earlier this season. I plan on loading it full of vegetables including carrots, celery, onions, garlic (lots of garlic!), a variety of peppers, a splash of tomatoes, and for a bit of sweetness as a counterpoint to the savory spice, bite-sized chunks of sweet potatoes. I want to keep it vegetarian, so I will add homemade soy chorizo to round out the flavors. This is a hearty and filling bowl that you can eat as is; but if you want, it would be delicious served over your favorite grain like brown rice, quinoa, or couscous.

The second soup this week is Split Pea with Ham and Barley. You'll get the creamy pea soup along with barley and a bit of potato for heartiness. Carrots, celery, onions, plus herbs and spices round out the rich flavor, along with smoky salty ham.

Both of these soups freeze well!

My sweet tooth is a bit out of control so all I can think of is a dessert this week. And mini-madeleines it shall be! Dark chocolate or white chocolate dipped if you so desire, plain if you don't! FYI, madeleines are a buttery French cake-like cookie with a hint of lemon baked in a shell-shaped mold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_(cake) ).

Soup
1 quart/$8     2 quarts/$15     3 quarts/$22     4 quarts/$28

Cookies
$5/doz (I can mix and match plain and choco dipped!)

Since I'm starting a bit late this week, I have shorter turnaround time. Please get your order to me by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday. Pick up/delivery should be by Friday afternoon and into the weekend. As always, I accept cash, check, credit, and Paypal. Please email your orders to: cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com. You can also message me on Facebook!

Italian Wedding and Vegetarian Curried Lentil

Hello and happy January!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Who's ready for soup? I know I am!

This week I am finally going to make Italian Wedding Soup. This rich, brothy soup features vitamin-packed spinach, little meatballs made of a combo of spicy sausage and turkey (to keep it a bit leaner), and a small pasta for body and extra goodness. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

For the vegetarians this week it shall be a spicy, thick Curried Lentil. I will combine a few different varieties of lentils (red, brown, and French!) for fantastic texture and superior flavor, plus add assorted vegetables, and gorgeous Indian spices for a low-fat, vitamin-packed soup that will stick to your ribs and keep you warm and cozy.

I have a lovely Christmas tree-shaped rosemary topiary that's just dying to be plucked and used to top small (approx. 1lb.) ciabatta loaves.

I've had too long of a break; I'm ready to cook! Who wants soup?

The facts:

Soup:

1 quart/$8     2 quarts/$15      3 quarts/$22     4 quarts/$28

Loaves:

$3/each

To order, email me: cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com. Delivery/pickup will be towards the end of the week, before the weekend if possible. You can also message me on Facebook or you can text me if you have my number! I'm aiming for Friday/Saturday delivery and pick up!

CHILI - Two Ways!

The word is cold weather is finally coming. It didn't really happen this past week, but there are murmurs of snow flurries on Thursday. Not that I really need an excuse, but colder weather makes me think of chili! I love chili, particularly Midwestern chili, full of beans and tomatoes. I know some Texans get all heated up when they hear of their beloved dish being perverted by any vegetable/legume other than peppers, but this isn't Texas, and I like our chili just the way we do it.

My chili is meaty (featuring a combination of ground beef and ground turkey), full of beans, in a tomato-y base. Of course, there are onions and garlic galore, sweet and hot peppers, lots of warm spices like cumin, cayenne, and coriander, plus my own secret ingredients (if I tell you, then you wouldn't need me, would you?). Because I care about my vegetarian friends, I shall also be making a batch of meatless chili, with essentially the same ingredients, switching out the meat for a soy-based product, and the addition of some extra vegetables.

Unfortunately, my baking schedule is a bit busy, so there will only be chili this week! Fresh bread after the holidays, I promise!

You know the drill:

Chili is priced as follows (you can mix and match meaty and vegetarian!): 

1 quart/$8     2 quarts/$15      3 quarts/$22     4 quarts/$28

To order, email me: cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com. Delivery/pickup will be towards the end of the week, before the weekend if possible. You can also message me on Facebook or you can text me if you have my number! 

Potato Soups, Both Meaty and Vegan!

This week I'm thinking about potatoes. Creamy, comforting potatoes made into a hot soup to warm your chilled bones now that winter has made an appearance. I think two varieties are in order; one shall have smoky sausage and a touch of kale, the other shall be a simpler vegan affair. Both will start with leeks, onions, celery, and garlic to make a rich base for the potatoes, and I promise both will be delicious!

I have lots of baking to do this week for Christmas, so my bread this week will be simple cornbread mini-loaves. I favor the sweeter style of cornbread, fyi. 

Because of my schedule this week, I need to get all soups/breads delivered or picked up by Thursday evening. We can work it out (and if necessary I can freeze till next week)! To order, email me at: cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com.

Soup:

1 quart/$8           2 quarts/$15            3 quarts/$21           4 quarts/$28

Bread:

$2.50/loaf

Also, just a reminder that I'm available for holiday cooking and baking as well! http://tinymontgomery.blogspot.com/2012/12/tis-season-fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.html

Gypsy Soup

It's been rather warm the last few days, but I suspect by the weekend and early next week it will start feeling a bit more seasonal again. To that end, you will need soup! Staying on the vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free track, I'm offering my take on the Moosewood Cookbook classic, Gypsy Soup. I've made my own tweaks to their recipe, and this is one hearty soup that is full of things super good for you.  A rich vegetable broth will form the base, supplemented by a combo of winter squash and sweet potatoes, a touch of tomatoes, green peppers, chickpeas and more, depending on what looks good at the market. The soup is made even more savory by the use of some Indian-style spices for an ever-so-slight heat, and lots of complex flavors. This is one of my very favorite soups and I know you will feel satisfied after a steaming bowl. It will also freeze well if you'd like extras!

To accompany the soup, I'm making mini loaves of beer bread (approximately 3"x5.5") with a touch of walnuts and dried cranberries. Each loaf is enough for two people to each have a chunk of bread, but feel free to order more than one!

This week I would like to get soup delivered/picked up on Friday, Saturday at the latest, so I'm asking that orders be placed by Wednesday evening (and you know I always let you sneak under the wire, but why wait?). As usual, anyone can pick up, and delivery to the inner ring  is available. To order, just email me: cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com.

Soup is priced as follows:

1 quart/$8   2 quarts/$15   3 quarts/$22   4 quarts/$28

Beer Bread loaves are $2.50/each

As always, I accept charge, cash, check, and Paypal. I'm looking forward to making you some soup! I missed everybody these last couple weeks!